Outcomes of Carotid Artery Stenting without Embolic Protection in Yemen: A Resource-Constrained Experience.

OBJECTIVE

Carotid artery stenting (CAS) has been reported to be a safe and effective option for treating carotid atherosclerotic disease. However, reports and studies from resource-limited countries are scarce. The published data support the use of embolic protection devices (EPDs) to reduce periprocedural stroke. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of CAS procedures without EPDs in Yemen, one of the lowest-income countries.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study regarding CAS for symptomatic carotid artery stenosis that was conducted at the stroke center of Borg Al-Atiba and American Modern Hospital during the period from March 2023 to March 2025. All patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis were included in the study. CAS procedures were performed by a single interventional neurologist. The primary outcomes included a 30-day periprocedural mortality, stroke, myocardial infarction, or arrhythmia. Any other complications were considered secondary outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 62 patients (53 males) were included in this study, with a mean age of 60.2 ± 9.7 years. All patients had symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. The technical success rate was 100%. No perioperative cerebral infarctions were observed. One patient developed transient dysarthria, but diffusion-weighted-MRI was negative. Significant bradycardia occurred in 2 patients and responded immediately to atropine. Three patients developed mild local hematoma, and 1 patient had a femoral pseudoaneurysm. Closed-cell Carotid WALLSTENT (Boston Scientific, Marlborough, MA, USA) was used as a single stent in all patients.

CONCLUSION

CAS conducted by a trained interventional neurologist without EPDs demonstrates a low complication rate, and it is an effective and safe option in countries with limited resources.